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stillers4me
02-08-2011, 04:52 AM
The Steelers found ways to overcome penalties all season long to pull out wins, but they couldn't do so in Super Bowl XLV.

Six penalties was the average for the Steelers this year, and they finished with that again Sunday in a 31-25 loss to Green Bay, but the timing of at least two of those six penalties proved costly.

"Penalties are always tough, especially in big games like this," safety Troy Polamalu said. "Every single game and situationally, those penalties hurt us ..."

Two in particular hurt the Steelers more than the others, both of which came on the kickoff return unit................


read more @ http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_721854.html

HometownGal
02-08-2011, 06:19 AM
The penalties hurt us - no doubt about it - but the turnovers are what sealed our fate.

zulater
02-08-2011, 06:32 AM
The penalties hurt us - no doubt about it - but the turnovers are what sealed our fate.

I think a valid case could be made the first turnover might never have happened if Mundy isn't called for the hold on the kick return that preceeded the pick 6. By passing from the end zone Ben was forced to throw even if the play wasn't there, because the alternative of taking a sack would have resulted in a safety.

HometownGal
02-08-2011, 06:47 AM
I think a valid case could be made the first turnover might never have happened if Mundy isn't called for the hold on the kick return that preceeded the pick 6. By passing from the end zone Ben was forced to throw even if the play wasn't there, because the alternative of taking a sack would have resulted in a safety.

While that is a valid argument, Zu, the standard usually is that the team who turns the ball over more usually comes up on the short end of the stick. We were rebounding nicely from the 2 Ben picks but the Mendy fumble proved to be deadly.

Texasteel
02-08-2011, 06:54 AM
I think a valid case could be made the first turnover might never have happened if Mundy isn't called for the hold on the kick return that preceeded the pick 6. By passing from the end zone Ben was forced to throw even if the play wasn't there, because the alternative of taking a sack would have resulted in a safety.


If the play wasn't there Ben could have and should have just thrown the ball away. The play did in fact work, the WR was open and looked to me to have running room just a little further down field. What cause the int was Ben getting hit as he threw the ball.

steeleyfreak
02-08-2011, 10:29 AM
The penalties, the turnovers, the poor QB play all hurt, but the real reason the game was lost was the piss poor secondary. Those guys couldn't cover Betty White. This has been the Achilles heal for quite some time now. It needs to addressed THIS offseason.

7SteelGal43
02-08-2011, 10:45 AM
See there ?! I knew the refs gave the game to the Packers!































:sarcasm2:

Steeldude
02-08-2011, 10:46 AM
While that is a valid argument, Zu, the standard usually is that the team who turns the ball over more usually comes up on the short end of the stick. We were rebounding nicely from the 2 Ben picks but the Mendy fumble proved to be deadly.

someday mendenhall will learn to protect the ball correctly. there are no excuses for fumbles.

fansince'76
02-08-2011, 10:53 AM
someday mendenhall will learn to protect the ball correctly. there are no excuses for fumbles.

He had fewer fumbles than (2 vs. 3) and the same number of fumbles lost (2) during the regular season as Chris Johnson on 8 more carries. All the evidence suggests he has learned to protect the ball correctly. Not much you can do when the defensive player gets his helmet placed perfectly on the ball and it pops out. Sometimes the defender just makes a play.

Devilsdancefloor
02-08-2011, 10:59 AM
someday mendenhall will learn to protect the ball correctly. there are no excuses for fumbles.

no excuse for fumble is correct, but matthews made a hell of a play! dude yo have to give him some credit for making that play. mendy is getting better and better 327 carries 2 fumbles i'll take it

The Duke
02-08-2011, 11:17 AM
He had fewer fumbles than (2 vs. 3) and the same number of fumbles lost (2) during the regular season as Chris Johnson on 8 more carries. All the evidence suggests he has learned to protect the ball correctly. Not much you can do when the defensive player gets his helmet placed perfectly on the ball and it pops out. Sometimes the defender just makes a play.

Seriously, while turnovers killed us that was heck of a play by matthews

He could still work on carrying the ball tighter to himself, but it's not like he's had tons of fumbles in his career so far

I foresee big things for mendenhall next season

tube517
02-08-2011, 11:34 AM
Great play by Matthews, Mendy will have his day. But they need to give more touches to Redman. He had 340+ carries in the regular season and a whole bunch in the playoffs. I hope his wheels don't fall off

salamander
02-08-2011, 12:18 PM
I refuse to blame the refs on this one. The refs didn't turn the ball over 3 times.

Dino 6 Rings
02-08-2011, 01:56 PM
If the play wasn't there Ben could have and should have just thrown the ball away. The play did in fact work, the WR was open and looked to me to have running room just a little further down field. What cause the int was Ben getting hit as he threw the ball.

its painful...but watch the replay again of the pick 6 and pay close attention to the Steelers running back, think its mendy, out of the backfield, running across the formation about 5 yards downfield...wide the fck open...like Wide Open...talking 15 yard gain at least if Ben just checks down after the pump fake...instead...he went deep...felt like he was trying to force it alot on Sunday...

Texasteel
02-08-2011, 02:14 PM
its painful...but watch the replay again of the pick 6 and pay close attention to the Steelers running back, think its mendy, out of the backfield, running across the formation about 5 yards downfield...wide the fck open...like Wide Open...talking 15 yard gain at least if Ben just checks down after the pump fake...instead...he went deep...felt like he was trying to force it alot on Sunday...

Well it's a lot more painful now, thank you very much. I do have the game recorded Dino and will take a look,,,,,,, in a day or two. From what your describing the play worked even better than I thought. Ben just miss Mendy, or made the wrong decision.

zulater
02-08-2011, 02:23 PM
If the play wasn't there Ben could have and should have just thrown the ball away. The play did in fact work, the WR was open and looked to me to have running room just a little further down field. What cause the int was Ben getting hit as he threw the ball.

He can't throw the ball away, unless he has time to figure out a safe place to throw it away. And seeing as how he was being hit by Kemo's man within 2 seconds of the snap he really had little option but to throw to his second read ( remember he pumped fakes right, swings his vision to the left and boom, hit as he's throwing) Anyway as you've said the hit to his throwing shoulder is what made the pass fall short of the mark. If you have that same play from anywhere other than where the qb is in the end zone the correct decision would have been to take the sack. But you don't do that with a safety as your option on a sack. Same with a grounding penalty. It was a risky play call ( notice I didn't say bad) and it blew up in Ben and the Steelers face.

zulater
02-08-2011, 02:25 PM
its painful...but watch the replay again of the pick 6 and pay close attention to the Steelers running back, think its mendy, out of the backfield, running across the formation about 5 yards downfield...wide the fck open...like Wide Open...talking 15 yard gain at least if Ben just checks down after the pump fake...instead...he went deep...felt like he was trying to force it alot on Sunday...

Dino I wasn't watching for that, but my guess is that Ben thought that his protection would hold up longer than 2 seconds, ( if that) and the design of the play was probably to take a shot downfield similiar to what they did when they threw out of the end zone to Wallace for a big gainer in the first Browns game. You want to throw blame darts around the best place to toss one for that play would be at Kemo, who was simply destroyed on that play.

zulater
02-08-2011, 02:32 PM
By the way, the hold on Mundy may have been the correct call, but at the same token his push in the back had no influence on the result of the play imho. The defender was in the proccess of running himself out of the play, there was no way he could have reversed him momentum and laid so much as a finger on Brown as he blew by. In other words if Mundy had been standing on the sidelines picking his nose at the time, Brown still runs that kick out to the 43!

In my opinion that was a call that shouldn't have been made though technically it may have been correct.

Texasteel
02-08-2011, 02:55 PM
He can't throw the ball away, unless he has time to figure out a safe place to throw it away. And seeing as how he was being hit by Kemo's man within 2 seconds of the snap he really had little option but to throw to his second read ( remember he pumped fakes right, swings his vision to the left and boom, hit as he's throwing) Anyway as you've said the hit to his throwing shoulder is what made the pass fall short of the mark. If you have that same play from anywhere other than where the qb is in the end zone the correct decision would have been to take the sack. But you don't do that with a safety as your option on a sack. Same with a grounding penalty. It was a risky play call ( notice I didn't say bad) and it blew up in Ben and the Steelers face.


Oh I understand what you are saying zu. I can't argue with the way it turned out. What I am saying is the Ben was put in the position to complete the pass or throw it 10" over his head. Plus as Dino said, and I did watch it again, Ben was given a safety valve with Mendy swinging out of the back field, which Ben did ignore. Ben was given options. He ignored one and didn't have time for the other. Sad part is, if Kemo hold his block for 1/2 second longer we probably wouldn't even be talking about it. Hell he could have even held the guy, I know he can do that.

Dino 6 Rings
02-08-2011, 03:02 PM
Oh I understand what you are saying zu. I can't argue with the way it turned out. What I am saying is the Ben was put in the position to complete the pass or throw it 10" over his head. Plus as Dino said, and I did watch it again, Ben was given a safety valve with Mendy swinging out of the back field, which Ben did ignore. Ben was given options. He ignored one and didn't have time for the other. Sad part is, if Kemo hold his block for 1/2 second longer we probably wouldn't even be talking about it. Hell he could have even held the guy, I know he can do that.

you think that's bad...re-watch the final drive and the 4th down play and see how open the Back is on that one.

Texasteel
02-08-2011, 03:08 PM
you think that's bad...re-watch the final drive and the 4th down play and see how open the Back is on that one.

You do remember I'm an old man, I don't know how much my heart will stand.

Number 7 in 2011

zulater
02-08-2011, 03:25 PM
you think that's bad...re-watch the final drive and the 4th down play and see how open the Back is on that one.

On the second down play Moore was wide open on a swing pass that would have easily obtained first down yardage +. In my opinion Ben wasn't nearly as bad as it's been portrayed, right up until the final possession. On that possession the entire team looked off kilter.

zulater
02-08-2011, 03:28 PM
Oh I understand what you are saying zu. I can't argue with the way it turned out. What I am saying is the Ben was put in the position to complete the pass or throw it 10" over his head. Plus as Dino said, and I did watch it again, Ben was given a safety valve with Mendy swinging out of the back field, which Ben did ignore. Ben was given options. He ignored one and didn't have time for the other. Sad part is, if Kemo hold his block for 1/2 second longer we probably wouldn't even be talking about it. Hell he could have even held the guy, I know he can do that.

Tex, when he pumps to the left and ignores Moore I think it's because the play was designed to go deep, I don't think he knew at the time that Kemo was in the proccess of getting destroyed. Once he swings his vision right there's no time to go back to Moore, he just had to chuck it and hope.

zulater
02-08-2011, 03:34 PM
You do remember I'm an old man, I don't know how much my heart will stand.

Number 7 in 2011

That entire possession, (even the completions), was a total cluster fuck. Ben could have had Moore for an easy first down + on 2nd and 5. Probably could have gotten to the line and spiked it with almost a minute left on the clock. He also had Heath open in the left flat short of the sticks on 4th down, but with what looked to me an open avenue to first down yardage and possibly even the sidelines.

I think Ben was panicked because of the combination of clock and field position. His mindset was that he had to go downfield when he should have been thinking first down. Posibly this was a result of not realizing he had a timeout at his disposal. In an after game interview Ben indicated that the Steelers were out of timeouts.

Texasteel
02-08-2011, 03:46 PM
One thing I think we all can agree on is that last possession was not a thing of beauty. Still, GB played there hearts out, and as much as it pains me, they deserved the win.

By the way, I'm not saying you are thinking otherwise.

steelreserve
02-08-2011, 04:07 PM
People are blaming this on penalties? That was about 15 places down on the list of things that killed us.

I am not really willing to give Matthews credit for a "great play" on the fumble. A huge break, yes -- but knocking the ball out with your helmet is not exactly the kind of thing you can plan; there is more than a little bit of luck involved.

Craic
02-08-2011, 04:17 PM
On the second down play Moore was wide open on a swing pass that would have easily obtained first down yardage +. In my opinion Ben wasn't nearly as bad as it's been portrayed, right up until the final possession. On that possession the entire team looked off kilter.

True, however, with the clock winding down and only 1 timeout, I think Ben was probably thinking that the few yards gained vs. the second lost wasn't worth the gamble at that point. In hindsight, it was a bad choice. But I would surmise that was the thought process.

Dino 6 Rings
02-08-2011, 04:39 PM
just kills me how much we left out there. Had we had this game, go back and forth with no turnovers and the packers win it just because they were the better team and just made one more play than us, I could almost let it clear my head...but really...we killed ourselves time and time again, Flozel "holding" call...which...wasn't...the KO Return holding/blockintheback/personal foul calls...the FG Miss Drive...just a complete mess...the fumble...the two picks...the last drive of crapness...seriously...if it was just one play...or something like that...that the Packers made that beat us...then I could almost handle it...but its like...we just kept getting in our own way...and once we had the momentum...its like...we panicked even more...55 yard drive on 5 running plays for a TD, a 3 and out and we get the ball back and we...pass it? Really? Come on...

and then a Fumble on 2nd and 2 from their 33? Come on!

and a 52 yard attempt? Really? Come on!

block in the back? Come ON!

INT Pick Six where no one on offense can even get the guy out of bounds! Come On!

21 points of turnovers! Come On!!!! Really? COME ON!

seriously...we got no breaks at all in this game...ok, a couple drops by the Packer receivers...sure...whatever...drops happen...but the turnovers, penalties and missed opportunities just kill me...Kill Me...

HometownGal
02-08-2011, 04:45 PM
I think back to very early in the game when Tramon Williams fumbled the ball on a punt return and after a melee, unfortunately recovered his own fumble. I know it's woulda, coulda, shoulda - but I really have to wonder if the Steelers had recovered that fumble instead, how different the momentum would have been at that point in the game had they scored? We would have had the ball very deep in GB territory. :doh:

Galax Steeler
02-09-2011, 03:19 AM
no excuse for fumble is correct, but matthews made a hell of a play! dude yo have to give him some credit for making that play. mendy is getting better and better 327 carries 2 fumbles i'll take it

Agree I will take those numbers all day long.

NJarhead
02-09-2011, 03:36 PM
The penalties hurt us - no doubt about it - but the turnovers are what sealed our fate.
Agreed and I can't really be upset with our guys for any of those three. Ben got hit on the first one, he threw a good ball on the second one (defender just made an aggressive play on the ball) and I can't say Mendy was holding the ball like a loaf of bread, because he wasn't. Green Bay caused all of those on their own. We gave them nothing (except breaks on ST's penalties).

The WH
02-09-2011, 03:49 PM
I think one of the biggest back breakers on the final possession came on the kickoff return. Redman tried to do too much and costs the Steelers the extra play before the 2minute warning. If he just goes down instead of trying to be aggressive (and causing himself to go backwards BEFORE the penalty) the Steelers have a cheaper (time wise) play for a screen try or a short pass or something. that and there is no penalty on Fox (#57 if his name isn't Fox). I was screaming (inside my head) GO DOWN GO DOWN!!! FUUUUUCK!!!

zulater
02-09-2011, 05:49 PM
Agreed and I can't really be upset with our guys for any of those three. Ben got hit on the first one, he threw a good ball on the second one (defender just made an aggressive play on the ball) and I can't say Mendy was holding the ball like a loaf of bread, because he wasn't. Green Bay caused all of those on their own. We gave them nothing (except breaks on ST's penalties).

Good post, sometimes it's about what the other guy did right rather than what you did wrong.